I have had the ticrx from tfo and they are extremely fast. They will not protect light tippets and really to cast them right they are designed for more experienced casters. If staying in that tfo line I would just move up to a good 6wt or 7 wt in the professional line or the jim teeny rods. or move over for around the same money to the sage launch series rods which imho are much nicwer than the TFO rods.